As It Should Be
by patsypotter
Summary: "She closed her eyes, hoping that when she would open them again all would be well." My version of how Doomsday should have ended. A little angst but there's fluff anyway.


**Finally, my muses came back to me and I managed to crack a decent story! This is my very first Doctor Who fanfic, of which I'm very proud. I spent the last few months thinking I had lost all my abilities to write, but suddenly the Doctor and Rose made me see the light. So, no writer's block anymore, and I hope it stays that way. So expect a lot more stories. :) R&R and I'll be forever thankful.**

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The moment she realised she had been forcefully taken away from him, her heart sunk. She was stuck in a world that wasn't hers, with so many things left unsaid, without her Doctor by her side. Not even five seconds had passed and she was already feeling sick. But in those excruciating five seconds everything rushed through her head: she couldn't stay there, not without telling him how she felt. Rose Tyler couldn't exist without the Doctor, not anymore.

She didn't even spare a look at her mother, or Mickey, let alone Pete. All she could think about was how the Doctor had done that to her before. But like the last time, she wasn't going to give up so easily. She needed only to press the button of her dimension cannon and she would be next to him again, and this time she wouldn't let go. That wasn't her world; that was a world without the Doctor, without his hand on hers. She couldn't fathom the idea of living a life without him, not after she had promised him forever. Promises are meant to be kept, and that was one she was willing to keep, even if it meant dying in the process: after all, she could only give him her forever.

Last time the Doctor had sent her to safety, they had been surrounded by Daleks, threatening to destroy him once and for all, and ending the Time War, the victory on their side. But she didn't let them leave triumphant. The memory of what happened after she, Mickey and Jackie managed to open the heart of the TARDIS was a bit blurred, but she had saved him; not in the way she really wanted to because he had to change his face, but she did it. Her stubbornness and love had saved him once, so why wouldn't the second do the charm?

Coming back to the harsh reality, Rose's mind ran a thousand miles a minute: she had to go back. Holding fervently to the necklace that could send her back to her Doctor, she didn't even bother looking over at her own mother, who she would be leaving trapped there, were they successful. She had told her that after the Doctor came into her life, she would always choose him over anyone or anything, and this was her keeping her word. Hopefully, Jackie would understand it.

So she pressed the button.

Her universe's Torchwood appeared suddenly in front of her eyes, and with it the Doctor. 'I think this is the on switch,' she said, feeling content for the first time since they set foot on that building. But her smile faded when she saw the Doctor storming her way, incredulousness painted across his face.

He looked at her and in a split second he was standing right before her, grabbing her by the arms. 'Once the breach collapses, that's it. You will never be able to see her again. Your own mother!' he said as he shook her lightly.

At that, she adopted her best nonchalant expression. That didn't matter; she had chosen him over whatever and whoever. Nothing in the whole Universe would be able to spilt them now. 'I made my choice a long time ago, and I'm never going to leave you,' she responded, her eyes fixated on his.

This was it. It had to be now or never. She knew, she felt it deep down, that when he told her that she should go to Pete's World, his hearts were breaking, but the need to keep her safe was imperative. But now, all she wanted to do was tell him about her feelings. So she held his gaze for a couple of seconds more before grabbing his lapels, and crashing her lips on his.

It didn't last long - or maybe it did, since her time perception in that precise moment was dubious - but she didn't care. She had done it. The moment she had been anticipating since she discovered now touchy this new Doctor was, since she finally got to see this new face smile. Now there was no turning back; she had finally kissed him, and thus leaving a very dumbstruck Time Lord in front of her. 'So what can I do to help?' she asked, a little breathless, as she released him, but looking triumphant nonetheless.

And so they started their job, the one only meant for the Stuff of Legend. She didn't think about what she had done, nor did she think that, if they survived this, the Doctor would chastise her for ever doing it. They needed to save the world… And that meant that they couldn't think about anything else. They had Daleks and Cybermen chasing after them, and she wouldn't risk being killed now that the Doctor needed her.

When the void opened, her heart sped up. Quickly stepping away from her lever, she grabbed her Magnaclamp for dear life, the void wind rushing through her, trying to suck her in with both Daleks and Cybermen. But she wouldn't go; she was going to stay with the Doctor forever, like she had promised him. She looked at him through the blurred images of screaming creatures, her smile spreading across her face: it worked.

But suddenly, one of the Daleks hit her lever, and with it came desperation. She had to get it upright again, even if that meant being sucked into the void. So she steadily tried to wrap her hand on the lever, without needing to let go of what was keeping her safe, but to no avail. The lever was too far gone, the Daleks and Cybermen were decreasing speed, so she did what she had to do, and let go of her Magnaclamp.

Her hands were sweaty when she finally managed to pull the lever to the online position, but she had no way of getting back to her safe spot. So she held on as tightly as possible, resisting the urge to let go. The Doctor had turned into a shiny shade of white, aghast with her situation, and that's when she realised that he could never do without her. Although her whole body was being pulled by the void, she managed to adjust her hands to the lever, pain shooting through her body. She closed her eyes, hoping that when she would open them again all would be well.

Suddenly, she felt her body slam against the cold metal surrounding the lever, her feet crashing on the ground. With her eyes still closed, she heard the Doctor run the short distance that separated them, and kneeling beside her, holding her tight. 'You did it,' he whispered into her hear, as he rocked her gently. 'Never do that to me again, Rose Tyler…' he continued, breaking the embrace only to get a better look at her.

Opening her eyes, she gazed at him still in disbelief. He was really there, it was not a dream. She managed to crack a smile for him, one of those tongue-touched smiles she knew that drove him out of his mind, to which he replied with his boyish grin. 'Hello,' she said breathlessly, her eyes dancing, almost feasting on the sight of him, her heart thumping on her chest, only wishing he wouldn't turn her down.

And then all her world collapsed around her when the Doctor pulled her into a passionate kiss. Her eyes almost popped out of their orbits at the shock, but soon they closed shut as she embraced the moment. His lips were cold and warm at the same time, and he tasted different than anyone else she had ever kissed: she would go as far as to say that he tasted like time and dust. And she loved it; she had craved his lips for the longest of time. Her dreams had been fulfilled at last; he was claiming her for his, breaking all his foolish rules.

Her arms hurt, but still she managed to lift them to his hair, ruffling it softly as the kiss deepened. She didn't know how long they had been at it, but in her mind it didn't really matter; they needed to get the tension of two years off their shoulders. And so their tongues crashed on one another and danced, and they savoured each other as if there was no tomorrow. She heard him hum contentedly against her lips, and she smiled.

But suddenly it all ended. The Doctor pulled away from the kiss slowly, still holding her. As he withdrew, Rose couldn't help but let out a small groan of disappointment; she only needed it to last forever. 'Our work here is done… We should get back to the TARDIS,' he said softly, cupping her cheek. He extended her his hand as he got up, and they walked out, hand in hand, off to their next adventure.

Now it was as it should be: the Doctor, in the TARDIS, with Rose Tyler. Surely, they were the Stuff of Legend.


End file.
